News

NFHS #MyReasonWhy Campaign Begins Second Year of Showcasing Value of High School Activity Programs

October 24, 2017

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF STATE HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONS

NEWS RELEASE

NFHS #MyReasonWhy Campaign Begins Second Year of Showcasing Value of High School Activity Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mark Koski

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (October 19, 2017) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is beginning the second year of the #MyReasonWhy campaign, which is designed to showcase the tremendous value that high school sports and activities offer to students.

In the first year of the #MyReasonWhy campaign, more than 500 unique stories were submitted through the campaign website from students, coaches and administrators, which re-affirmed that high school students involved in education-based activity programs demonstrate a higher level of academic performance and set themselves up for successful careers following high school graduation.

The #MyReasonWhy campaign is another effort by the NFHS and its 51 member associations (50 states plus the District of Columbia) to ensure that education-based programs are available for years to come. The goal of this national campaign is to demonstrate why participation in high school sports has increased every year for the past 28 years, and why participation in school-based sports and activities provides students the best opportunities for success.

With the official launch of the campaign today, the NFHS and its member state associations will begin to distribute key messages about high school sports and activities, namely that they are fun, add value to the participant and help develop the whole individual. This year, these messages also will be directed to students in middle schools to encourage their continued participation in sports and activities in high school. In addition, the values of these programs will be directed to parents, coaches, officials and community members.

An interactive website has been created at www.MyReasonWhy.com to house all materials related to this year’s campaign, including the stories submitted by students, coaches and administrators last year. The social media campaign will be expanded this year through the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube platforms and will target middle school parents, administrators and coaches.

Other components of this year’s campaign include posters to display in classrooms and locker rooms, regular op-ed newspaper articles co-authored by NFHS Executive Director Bob Gardner and the respective state association executive director, and radio public-service announcements.

The #MyReasonWhy campaign has a fresh look this year, making it easier for students and others to share why sports and activities are important to them. Using the #MyReasonWhy hashtag and by visiting the www.MyReasonWhy.com website, the NFHS anticipates a surge in stories from students across the country who are eager to share their experiences.

“We are excited to introduce the second year of the #MyReasonWhy campaign,” Gardner said. “This campaign has proved to be yet another avenue to spread the message about the values of these programs to young people. We have enjoyed reading the story submissions of why students, parents, coaches, officials and community members are involved in high school activities, and we are pleased to share those stories across the country via the new campaign website.”

The launch of the #MyReasonWhy campaign also coincides with National High School Activities Month, which was started in 1980 as National High School Activities Week to increase the public’s awareness of the values and needs of interscholastic activity programs. The foundation for National High School Activities Month is like the principles of the #MyReasonWhy campaign, looking to remind students, parents, coaches, officials and others in our communities about the value of education-based activities in their daily lives.

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About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and performing arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and performing arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.9 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; offers online publications and services for high school coaches and officials; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, speech and debate coaches, and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org.